WEST SUSSEX STREETLIGHTING PFI
Proposal for Change to Chichester Lighting Regime
Objective
The purpose of this document is to inform a consultation with Chichester City
Council to move Chichester City to a part-night lighting regime instead of the
current all-night lighting regime specified in the Streetlighting PFI contract. Such a
regime would allow for certain areas to be subject to an all-night lighting
specification in line with agreed principles defined in the West Sussex County
Council (WSCC) policy.
Introduction
In 2009, WSCC entered into a PFI contract with Scottish and Southern Energy
(SSE) to provide a total street lighting service. The contract started on 1st April
2010 and will last for 25 years. The service includes a five year period of capital
investment at the start of the contract to replace all time served lighting units
across the county and replace with lighting columns fitted with the latest lighting
technology. The project attracts £151m of funding from central government. Such
widespread asset replacements would never have been achieved by the level of
investment possible by WSCC funding alone.
Not only does this investment programme remove the risk of catastrophic failure of
old, damaged columns but also creates an opportunity to use modern lighting
design and products to save energy, reduce the future impact of rising electricity
prices and contribute to society’s drive for darker skies.
Lighting Policy
For many years, WSCC has operated a policy of ‘part-night’ lighting. This regime
turns off the street lights at or just after midnight and turns them on again early
morning (see References). It was recognised in the lighting industry that, in many
cases, street lighting does not need to be on whilst people are asleep. WSCC were
one of the first authorities to introduce such a regime and it now accepted by most
authorities across the country as standard practice. Before the PFI contact started
there were in excess of 30,000 lighting columns operating a part night regime
approximately half of total countywide.
In February 2014, an updated and clarified policy was approved by the county
council reinforcing the objective to increase the amount of part-night lighting over
the county. Cleary the policy continues to support the theme of lower energy
usage. This document can be found using the following link to the county council’s
web site (see References).
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Background
During the years leading up to the tendering, and ultimately signing, of the PFI
WSCC consulted all Parish, Town and City Councils on their views regarding the PFI
and in particular, views on part night lighting. Where appropriate these views were
established in the contractual objectives and specifications. At that time, Chichester
(which was predominantly part-night lighting) was subsequently proposed as
preferring an ‘all night’ lighting regime.
Views regarding energy usage and electricity pricing have changed dramatically in
the recent years since the PFI contract was started. Following recent installations of
new equipment in Chichester, WSCC has understood from feedback received that
many residents are not in favour of all-night lighting and would prefer to see a
return to a part-night lighting regime. WSCC would certainly support such a move;
unfortunately, much of the equipment has now been installed to the original
specification. As the designs, lead times, installation sub-contracts were so well
established, such a change would have been too difficult to introduce with ‘work in
progress’. The recent policy review also concluded that the local authorities would
be consulted when a change to the specified lighting regime was proposed. As a
result, Chichester City Council is now being consulted to confirm the desire to move
to a part-night lighting regime for Chichester.
Part Night Regime Proposal – what does it mean?
Under such a regime the following principles would apply:
All residential areas will be changed to part-night.
All-night lighting will continue to be in place across the city centre, as nominally
defined as inside the line of the city walls.
All-night lighting will continue to be applied to main roads in and out of the city.
Feeder and link roads will also be considered in this regard.
All-night lighting will continue to be applied in and around industrial areas, the
railway station, police station, fire station and hospital.
Requests for other roads to be lit all night will be subject to consideration against
the above criteria.
It is not possible to have mixed regimes on one road.
For maintenance reasons, consideration cannot be given to individual requests for
individual lights to differ from their surrounding units.
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When will the work be carried out?
Conversion to part-night lighting, where applicable, is a straightforward task
requiring a site visit by SSE engineers to adjust and/or fit alternative control
equipment. It will not be necessary to remove street lighting columns or perform
excavations on the footway or carriageway.
Clearly the work will need to be carried out in a coordinated way. Provisional
discussions are currently underway with SSE to determine a conversion programme
with an objective of carrying out the works before winter 2014.
Consultation timescale
WSCC request a response to this proposal from Chichester City Council by
(18th September 2014).
Chichester City Council may, of course, consult with other bodies within the city to
inform its decision, as it sees appropriate.
References
All-night lighting: continuous lighting between dusk and dawn with lighting levels
dimmed by 40% between midnight and 05.30 hours approximately.
Part-night lighting: lighting between dusk and dawn being turned off between
midnight (approximately) and 05.30 hours (approximately) when full illumination
recommences until dawn.
The review of the Street Lighting policy by WSCC Environmental & Community
Services Select Committee can be found at:
http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/ds/cttee/ecs/ecs280314i2.pdf
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